Stocking construction and method



Sept. 11, 1956 H, s. BELL 2,762,215

STOCKING CONSTRUCTION AND METHOD Filed Oct. 20, 1953 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VENTOR; A MRY 6. 5621.

J BY 4,4 99% ATTORNEYS,

Sept. 11, 1956 H. G. BELL 2,762,215

STOCKING CONSTRUCTION AND METHOD Filed Oct. 20, 1955 5 Sheeis-Sheet 2 @W Q U ZGE- Q.

3 84 4. m/ \i/ N I NVENT OR 2 BY 63470 r M ATTORNEYS.

Sept. 11, 1956 H. G. BELL STOCKING CONSTRUCTION AND METHOD Filed Oct. 20, 1953 flare) 6. 5:11

INVENTOR- ATTORNEYS.

United States Patent STOCKING CONSTRUCTION AND mrnon Henry G. Bell, High Point, N. C., assignor to Adams- Corporation, High Point, N. C., a corporation of North Carolina Application October 20, 1953, Serial No. 387,125

Claims. (Cl. 66-173) This invention relates to an improved method of knitting the welt portion of full-fashioned stocking and to the fabric' formed in accordance with said method.

In knitting full-fashioned hosiery a relatively heavy Welt yarn is fed to the knitting needles for a plurality of courses to form a welt which is turned over by conventional transfer means and the free end thereof is knitted into the fabric to form a welt of double thickness and then the welt yarn or another yarn is knitted for an additional number of courses to form a shadow welt at which point the shadow welt yarn is discontinued and a lighter weight yarn or body yarn is fed to the knitting needles to form the body of the stocking. In this operation an end or tail of the welt or shadow welt yarn remains at the point where the body yarn commences and also an end or tail of the body yarn remains at this same point where the body yarn is first introduced to the needles. This small tail or length of body yarn is at the selvage of the stocking and is sometimes seamed up when the stocking is seamed and in such an instance causes no trouble. However, the body. yarn tail is so small that generally it is not caught up in the seaming operation and remains as a loose tail or end on theinterior of the stocking and is a frequent source of pull threads or runs.

It is therefore the primary object of this invention to provide a method of interlocking the body yarn and the welt or shadow welt yarn so as to prevent the end of body yarn from being pulled to cause damage to the stocking.

It is anotherobject of this invention to. provide a method of knitting the welt of a full-fashioned stocking wherein at the commencement of knitting of the stocking blank, both a body yarn and a welt are fed to the knitting instrumentalities and the carrier for the welt yarn is reciprocated across the entire width of the stocking blank while the carrier for the body yarn is reciprocated only a short distance adjacent one selvage wherein the body yarn will be ,interknitted with the welt yarn for only a small number of wales along the selvage of the stocking blank throughout the welt and the shadow welt of the stocking. Upon the welt yarn being discontinued at the end ofthe shadow welt, the body yarn which had been knit along one of the selvages will then be continued throughout the body of the stocking and in'this manner the body yarn will be tied into or interknitted with the welt yarn to thus eliminate the loose tail or end of body yarn as a source of trouble.

It is another object of this invention to provide a method of knitting the welt structure of a full-fashioned stOckingWherein the body yarnis tied or knotted to the end of the welt yarn priorto the knitting of the first course of the stocking and wherein the yarn feeding instrumentalities are actuated in such a manner as to cause the welt yarn to be knitted throughout the width of the stocking blank in the welt and shadow welt and to cause the body yarn to be knitted with a small number of wales adjacent one edge of the stocking blank throughout the welt and shadow welt and wherein upon completion of the welt and shadow welt the welt yarn is discontinued and the body yarn is knit throughout the width of the stocking blank.

If desired, the body yarn may be introduced to the knitting instrumentalities at any desired time after the welt is begun but before the shadow welt is completed. For example, the welt may be knitted and after the transfer operation, the body yarn may be introduced at the start of the shadow welt and then be interknitted with the welt yarn for a few Wales along the selvage. In some cases a separate yarn may be used to form the shadow welt in which case the foregoing example might be most desirable. Generally, however, it has been foundmost practical to introduce the body yarn at the start of the welt as will be more fully described.

It is' still another object of this invention to provide a stocking fabric having a welt and a shadow welt formed from a relatively heavy welt yarn and a body formed from a relatively light or body yarn wherein the body yarn is interknittedwith the Walt yarn in the welt and/or in the shadow welt for a plurality of wales adjacent one of the selvages of said stocking blank.

Some of the objects of the invention having been stated, other objects will appear as the description proceeds, when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:-

Figure 1 is a fragmentary plan view of one unit of a fiat or full-fashioned knitting machine showing the position of the welt bar after a few courses in the welt have been knitted;

Figure 2 is a schematic illustration showing the welt bar and stocking blank after a portion of the welt has been knitted and illustrating the yarn carriers for the welt yarn and the body yarn;

Figure 3 is an enlargedview of'the dotted line area 3 in Figure 2 illustrating the manner in which the body yarn and welt yarn' are interknitted along one of the selvages in the welt portion of the stocking blank;

Figure 4 is a more or less schematic elevation of a complete stocking formed according to this method;

Figure 5 is a schematic view similar to Figure 2 but showing the stocking blank after the welt, transfer operation, and shadow welt have-been completed;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary schematic view showing the position of the yarn carriers and the manner in which the body yarn is tied to the welt yarn according to a modified form of the invention;

' Figure 7 is a fragmentary more or less schematic perspective view of the knitting instrumentalities showing the manner in which the body yarn and the welt yarn are knitted in the first and second welt courses in .accordance with the modified form of this method;

Figure 8 is a view similar to Figure 3 illustrating the appearance of the fabric knitted in accordance with the modified form of the invention wherein the body yarn and the welt yarn are tied together.

7 Referring more specifically to the drawings the numeral 10 denotes anend frame of a full-fashioned knitting machine said frame being adapted to support a longitudinally disposed rail 11, a table member 12 and a welttake-up roll shaft 14. The rail 11 supports top and bottom sinker beds 15 and 16, respectively, which beds slidably confine alternately arranged sinkers and dividers 1'7 and 18. The rail 11 also supports, in a conventional manner, a plate member, not shown, which in turn supports knock-over bits 21, there being a knockover bit for each sinker and for each divider. A plurality of bearded knitting needles 23 are mounted for vertical movement in each space between the sinkers 17 and the dividers 18 and the lower ends of the needles 23 are attached to a bar, not shown, which isoperated in a conventional manner by conventional mechanism, not shown, for knitting yarn extending across the nibs of the sinkers and dividers in a conventional manner.

During the knitting of the stocking blank, one or more yarn carriers 25 are moved back and forth longitudinally of the sinker bed by carrier rods 26 to thereby feed a strand or strands of yarn to the needles 23. Upon yarn being deposited on top of the sinkers and below the beards of the needles 23, the needles are lowered to knit the yarn and the sinkers and dividers move horizontally back and forth in timed relation to movement of the. needles 23 to cause the yarn loops to be shed and thus clear the beards of the needles so that a successive course can be knitted.

In beginning a stocking blank, the general practice is to knit a loose course and attach the same to hooks or points 27 of welt bar 28. This process may be accomplished in any conventional or other desired manner as, for example, by the process shown in Patent No. 2,383,- 350. After the first course is attached to the points 27 of the welt bar 28, the welt bar is moved horizontally away from the needles 23 and a suitable welt strap 29 is attached to the welt bar for applying tension thereto to move the welt bar away from the knitting needles 23 as successive courses are knitted in the fabric. The other end of the strap 29 is secured to a conventional welt takeup roll 30 which is secured to the-shaft 14 previously described.

Means are provided for supporting the ends of the welt bar 28 such as suitable guides 31 suitably secured to the table member 12. The pull which is normally exerted by the take-up roll 30 maintains tension in the strap 29 and in the knitted fabric which is disposed between the welt bar points and the knitting needles. In the knitting operation a plurality of courses are knitted to form the welt at which time a rod 32 (Figure is placed over the knitted fabric and conventional means, not shown, move the knitted fabric over the rod and the first course thereof is then interknitted with the fabric in a conventional manner to form a two-ply welt portion for the top end I of the stocking blank. The ends of the rods 32 are attached to the ends of suitable straps 33 connected to a stocking take-up roll 34 about which the stocking blank is wound as the remainder of stocking is knitted after the transfer operation.

The structure and operation thus far described is conventional in full-fashioned hosiery knitting and an additional description thereof is believed unnecessary.

Heretofore, in knitting a full-fashioned stocking a relatively heavy welt yarn has been fed to knitting needles 23 from one of the yarn carriers 25 for a plurality of courses to knit the welt of the stocking. After the welt has been knitted, the transfer operation takes place so that the knitted fabric is formed into a two-ply welt portion and then the welt yarn is knitted for an additional plurality of courses to form a shadow welt. In some instances a separate yarn is used for the shadow welt. Upon completion of the shadow welt, an additional carrier 25 comes into action to feed a body yarn to the knitting needles 23 for knitting the body of the stocking. At the point of the juncture between the body yarn and the welt yarn, two yarn tails are formed; a first yarn tail formed from the end of the welt yarn which is discontinued, and a second yarn tail formed from the end of the body yarn which is introduced to the fabric at this point. The second yarn tail, or the body yarn tail has caused considerable trouble in providing a source for pull threads, runs and the like.

In accordance with this invention, the body yarn and the welt yarn are interknitted at the juncture of the shadow welt and the body of the stocking to prevent the body yarn tail from being pulled loose to cause runs or pull threads.

Referring particularly to Figures 2, 3, and 4 it will be observed that one of the yarn carriers 25 is designated 25b and this yarn carrier feeds a body yarn B to the knitting needles, and another of the yarn carriers is designated 25w and this yarn carrier feeds the relatively heavy or welt yarn W to the knitting needles. It is well known that generally a plurality of stocking blanks are knit one after the other and upon completing the toe portion of one stocking blank the knitting instrumentalities are actuated to commence the welt portion of a succeeding stocking blank. Thus, at the start of a new stocking blank the carrier 25b will be carrying the body yarn which has been used in knitting the toe portion of a preceding stocking and the carrier 25b is actuated to move the body yarn B over a plurality of the sinkers and dividers adjacent one side of the knitting needles 23 used in forming the first course of the new stocking blank. Immediately after the movement of the yarn carrier 25b the yarn carrier 25w'is moved to lay the yarn W over the sinkers and dividers for the entire width of the first course of the stocking blank.

It will be observed that a short length of the yarn B will be interknitted with the yarn W in the first course adjacent one edge of the stocking blank at the area shown more or less schematically in Figure 2 and indicated by reference numeral 1. Then the welt of the stocking is knitted in the usual manner wherein the yarn carrier 25w is reciprocated the entire width of the stocking blank to knit all of the wales with the heavy or welt yarn W. At the same time, the yarn carrier 25b is reciprocated only a short distance so as to move the body yarn B back and forth to a small number of the knitting needles, preferably two or three needles adjacent the selvage of the stocking blank so as to interknit the body yarn B with the welt'yarn W for a small plurality of wales adjacent the selvage of the stocking blank.

As clearly shown in Figure 3, and schematically illustrated in Figure 2 at W and B, the body yarn is interknitted with the w'elt yarn along two wales or two needles at the selvage of the stocking blank. It'may be interknitted for any desired number of wales.

The beginning end of the body yarn B forms a yarn tail B-l, as will be clearly observed in Figures 2 and 3.

After the welt is completed and is turned and transferred in a conventional manner, the yarn tail 3-1 will be positioned at the lower edge of the welt on the interior of the stocking as is shown more or less schematically in Figure 4, it being noted that in actual practice this yarn tail B-1 will be so small as not to be noticeable in the finished stocking. Since the yarn B extends along the first course of the welt and along two or more wales at the selvage of the stocking blank, pulling of the yarn tail B-l will not damage the stocking.

The beginning end of the yarn W forms a yarn tail W-l which is clearly shown'in Figures 2 and 3 and shown schematically in'Figure 4 as extending exteriorly of the stocking. In actual practice, the yarn tail W-l would be positioned on an inner surface of the completed stocking and generally is taken up in the seaming operation and is not noticeable.

After the transfer operation has 'been completed, the knitting instrumentalities are actuated to knit the shadow welt and the body yarn is interknitted with the welt yarn for a small plurality of wales (two in the present illustration) along one of the selvages of the stocking blank in the same manner the body yarn has been'interknitted with the welt yarn in the welt. At the completion of the shadow welt the welt yarn carrier 25w is discontinued and the welt yarn W is cut forming an end yarn tail W-2 which is shown schematically in Figure 4 as extending exteriorly of the stocking but which is normally positioned inside the body of the stocking and taken up in the seaming operation and is not noticeable. The body of the stocking is then knit in the usual manner by reciprocating the yarn feed carrier 25b across the entire width of the stocking blank so that the yarn B which has been interknitted with the yarn W in a portion of the shadow welt is utilized in knitting the body of the stocking. The leg, ankle, heel, foot and toe of the stocking blank are knit in any desired conventional or other manner and the edges of the blank are seamed to form a complete stocking.

It will thus be observed that the body yarn B is interknitted with welt yarn W in a portion of the welt and shadow welt to prevent this end of the body yarn from being pulled and causing runs, pull threads or other defects in the stocking.

While in general practice it has been found most desirable as a practical matter to introduce the body yarn at the first course of the welt and interknit it with the welt yarn in a few wales throughout the welt and shadow welt, it is to be understood that the body yarn may be introduced at any desired course in either the welt or shadow welt and then interknitted with the welt or shadow welt yarn for a few wales adjacent the selvage.

Referring to Figures 5, 6, 7 and 8 there will be observed a second or modified form of the present invention wherein like parts will bear like reference characters.

In the second form of the invention, instead of laying in the body yarn with the welt yarn in forming the first course of the welt, the body yarn is tied to the welt yarn and then the carriers are reciprocated in the same manner as described for the first form of the invention so that the welt yarn will be fed to the knitting needles throughout the knitting of the welt and the shadow welt and the body yarn will be fed to only a few needles adjacent the selvage of the stocking blank so that the body yarn will be interknitted with the welt yarn only in a relatively narrow area along the selvage.

By referring to Figure 6, it will be observed that a yarn feed carrier 25b and a yarn feed carrier 25w are shown more or less schematically with yarns W and B, respectively, extending therefrom. The yarns W and B are knotted or tied together leaving relatively short ends W-l and B-1, respectively, after which the yarns are fed to the knitting needles 23 as will be more clearly observed in Figure 7. The yarn carrier 25w is reciprocated across the entire width of the stocking blank while the yarn carrier 25b is reciprocated only a relatively short distance feeding the yarn B to only two needles adjacent the selvage of the stocking blank in the present illustration. If desired, the yarn carrier 25b may be reciprocated to feed the body yarn to any desired number of needles but it has been found that interknitting the body yarn for two or three wales is suflicient to tie the same into the welt of the stocking and such interknitting is not noticeable in the finished stocking since it is normally taken up in the seaming operation.

In practicing the second form of the invention, the welt and shadow welt are then formed in the manner previously described after which the operation of the yarn feed carrier 25w is discontinued and the yarn carrier 25b is reciprocated the entire width of the stocking blank for forming the body of the stocking in a well known manner.

In the drawings and specification, there has been set forth a preferred embodiment of the invention and, although specific terms are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only, and not for purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention being defined in the claims.

1. That method of knitting a full-fashioned stocking blank which comprises knitting a welt and a shadow welt of a first yarn and knitting the body of the stocking with a second yarn and interknitting the second yarnwith the first yarn for a plurality of courses in the welt and shadow welt in a few wales only which are disposed adjacent one of the selvages of the stocking blank.

2. That method of making a full-fashioned stocking which comprises knitting a stocking blank with a welt and a shadow welt of a first yarn, knitting the body of the stocking with a second yarn and interknitting the second yarn with the first yarn in a plurality of courses in the welt and shadow welt and in only a few wales adjacent one of the selvages of the stocking blank, and then seaming the selvages together.

3. That method of making a full-fashioned stocking which comprises knitting a stocking blank with a welt and a shadow welt with a first yarn, knitting the body of the stocking with a second yarn and interknitting the second yarn with the first yarn in all of the courses in the welt and shadow welt and in only a few wales adjacent one of the selvages of the stocking blank, and then seaming the selvages together.

4. That method of making a full-fashioned stocking which comprises knitting a stocking blank with a welt and a shadow welt with a first yarn, knitting the body of the stocking with a second yarn and interknitting the second yarn with the first yarn in a plurality of Wales in the first course of the welt and in only a few wales adjacent one of the selvages of the stocking blank throughout the other courses of the welt and shadow welt, and then seaming the selvages together.

5. A full-fashioned stocking blank having a welt knitted from a first yarn and having a body portion knitted from a body yarn, the body yarn being interknitted with the welt yarn for a plurality of courses in the welt and only in those wales which are adjacent one of the selvages of the blank.

6. That method of knitting a full-fashioned stocking blank which comprises feeding a welt yarn to the knitting instrumentalities for the entire width of the stocking blank in the first course of the stocking, feeding a body yarn to a relatively small number of the knitting instrumentalities in the first course of the stocking blank, knitting the welt and the shadow welt of the stocking blank with the welt yarn in all of the wales and the body yarn in a relatively small number of wales, and then knitting the body of the stocking blank with the body yarn.

7. That method of knitting a full-fashioned stocking blank which comprises feeding a welt yarn to the knitting instrumentalities for the entire width of the stocking blank in the first course of the stocking, feeding a body yarn to a relatively small number of the knitting instrumentalities in the first course of the stocking blank, knitting the welt and the shadow welt of the stocking blank with the welt yarn in all of the wales and the body yarn in a relatively small number of wales adjacent one of the selvages of the stocking blank, and then knitting the body of the stocking blank with the body yarn.

8. That method of knitting a full-fashioned stocking blank which comprises tying a welt yarn and body yarn together, feeding the welt yarn to the knitting instrumentalities for the entire width of the stocking blank through-out the courses of the welt and shadow welt, feeding the body yarn to a relatively small number of the knitting instrumentalities throughout the welt and shadow welt, knitting the welt and the shadow welt of the stocking blank with the welt yarn in all of the wales and the body yarn in a relatively small number of wales adjacent one of the selvages of the stocking blank, and then knitting the body of the stocking blank with the body yarn.

9. That method of knitting a full-fashioned stocking blank which comprises knitting a top portion with a first in a' few wales only which are disposed adjacent one side of the seam of the stocking. e 7

References Citedin the file of m epetem 4 UNITED STATES PATENTS Folkman Nov. 15,, 1938 Largman May 23, 1944 Bouthillette et al. Apr. 27, 195.4 

